Iran vs North Korea: Civil liberties rating
Iran
7
in 2025
North Korea
7
in 2025
Iran rank
1st
North Korea rank
1st
Civil liberties rating over time
- Iran
- North Korea
How they compare
Iran currently reports 7 against 7 in North Korea, a difference of 0.
Across all 53 years both countries report, North Korea has been ahead every year.
Iran ranks 1st and North Korea ranks 1st of 199 countries.
North Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.62 | 7 | 1.38 | North Korea |
| 1980s | 5.78 | 7 | 1.22 | North Korea |
| 1990s | 6.3 | 7 | 0.7 | North Korea |
| 2000s | 6 | 7 | 1 | North Korea |
| 2010s | 6 | 7 | 1 | North Korea |
| 2020s | 6.5 | 7 | 0.5 | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher civil liberties rating, Iran or North Korea?
- Iran, at 7 against 7 in North Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in civil liberties rating between Iran and North Korea?
- 0, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and North Korea?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do Iran and North Korea rank globally for civil liberties rating?
- Iran ranks 1st and North Korea ranks 1st of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Civil liberties rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Lower ratings indicate more liberties.